First Love
by kusachi-chan
Summary: AU. Since first love never dies, sometimes, you have to bury it alive.


**First Love**

**Disclaimer: **_**I don't own Naruto or "The Bird".**_

**A/N: **_**I remembered seeing a short film entitled "The Bird" or something at Arirang TV years ago. I can somehow relate it to NaruHina so… yeah.**_

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A beautiful woman of medium height with long indigo hair was standing at the doorway of Room 4–B of Konoha Academy. A small smile was playing on her lips as pale violet eyes surveyed the room. Hesitantly, she approached the last desk of the second column and noted with satisfaction that it had remained in its post, even after five years. Her fingers stroked the desk lovingly and she was delighted to still feel the bumps and depressions on it.

The bumps and depressions were caused by an umbrella etched on the desk with a heart atop it and two names scribbled underneath it. A bittersweet smile now flashed on her face as she traced the boy's name. Sighing softly, she sat on their chair and let the memories flood her. The hands of the clock stopped, and then went backwards; she looked younger, shyer. Her hair grew shorter until it lightly touched her shoulders. Her clothes changed into a white blouse and deep blue skirt. Her surroundings changed and the next thing she knew, she was sitting in the middle of a noisy classroom.

"Hinata!" a boy with brown hair and too sharp incisors called out cheerfully at her. He was holding a picture of a white puppy yet again as he approached her. "Look! Isn't Akamaru cute in here?"

Hinata took the picture slowly and smiled. "Y-Yes."

Her confirmation soon sent him into a fit of Akamaru this and Akamaru that and she, being a kind and polite girl, listened attentively. Despite him being a one-track minded sometimes, she loved him like a brother she never had and thinks highly of him. He had saved her from bullies one day when they were in kindergarten. When they introduced each other, he didn't mind one bit that she was a Hyuuga, and an heiress at that. For him, she was a friend whom he could talk and play with. Period. Even when they were already eighteen, he still didn't change his opinions towards her.

His animated chatter was soon put to a stop when their homeroom teacher, Yuhi Kurenai, entered the room. She scolded Kiba gently like any other day and started inculcating values into the Inuzuka's head. Hatake Kakashi, their literature teacher, came to class late again with his face buried into a questionable orange book. Yamato-sensei scared them yet again with his creepy flashlight-under-my-chin face. Their Chemistry teacher, Deidara-sensei, made them experiment with explosive chemicals as usual. Hinata tried her best not to sigh audibly at the normalcy of how the day went.

How wrong she was.

She entered the cafeteria during lunch period with a new gossip in the air. A new male student had transferred, they said. Blonde. Blue eyes. Handsome. Unfortunately, he's loud and annoying. She just shrugged it off like she usually did with gossips, marched towards the long line and started dumping greens on her plate.

"Is it true that the food here is horrible?"

Hinata looked up sharply and was almost blinded by the brilliant smile the owner of the voice wore. For a moment, she found breathing impossible and she felt he need of shielding her eyes from the boy's bright blonde hair and dancing blue eyes. She stared stupidly at him for a few seconds before she remembered that she was supposed to answer his question. Blushing furiously with embarrassment, she mentally berated herself for being stupid.

"I-I-It's not that bad," she said softly and winced at her stutter. "Y-You'll eventually get used to it."

"I hope so," he chuckled then stuck his right hand out. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, by the way."

She shyly took his outstretched hand and noticed how big and warm it was. "H-H-Hyuuga H-Hinata. N-Nice to m-meet you."

That was the start of their friendship. Kiba, being a friendly guy, didn't mind Naruto's presence one bit. Although the two would always bicker at stupid reasons, the two respected each other. As for Hinata, her fascination towards the blonde turned into admiration, and maybe love. It was all new to her. She tried to deny her feelings, afraid that it might ruin their friendship. She reasoned with herself that she should be contented that at least, he was her friend. And with that, she was comforted.

One day, while they were eating their lunch, Hinata noticed that Naruto seemed more cheerful and more hyperactive than usual. She was puzzled at her friend's strange behaviour and decided to find out, momentarily forgetting the saying "Curiosity killed the cat."

"Y-You seem to be excited about something, Naruto-kun," she commented in an offhanded manner (she hoped). She was surprised when Kiba stiffened and when Naruto's whiskered cheeks were stained with red. She was worried that she had said something wrong and was about to take it back but stopped when Naruto chuckled nervously. She blinked in confusion. Uzumaki Naruto was never nervous.

"W-Well," he said sheepishly as he scratched the back if his neck, "I-I've decided to tell Sakura-chan that I… er… I like her."

She then understood why Kiba tensed up. Even if she hadn't told anyone about her secret feelings towards the blonde, he had sensed it. She suddenly felt like crying but stopped herself. Naruto deserved happiness. With a trembling voice, she wished him luck.

She was greatly relieved the next day when she learned that Haruno Sakura had outright rejected him. She couldn't help herself from sighing in relief, as if a huge weight in her chest had been expelled. She colored as soon as the sigh left her mouth, feeling guilty. But doesn't she have the right to be happy? Can't she be selfish once in a while?

It was in their Graduation Day when she decided to confess to him. It was on that day when she carved the umbrella and names on her desk.

She could still remember that incident. They were both waiting for their bus to arrive and she was nervously looking around her. Thankfully, only the two of them were present at the Bus Stop. That day was sunny; sakura petals were softly falling down on the sidewalks. She decided that it was the best time to confess since it was spring. She soon took the courage to speak up and with clammy hands, she managed to blurt out the three words to him.

Naruto stared owlishly at her for a long time, his mouth opening and closing with no sound coming out from it. Hinata might've laughed at his expression if only her heart was not sinking slowly. He finally spoke when her bus arrived.

"I-I'm sorry… b-but I don't feel the same way for you. I do like you but–"

"D-Don't worry," she said bravely as she stepped on the bus. She looked straight into his eyes and smiled hugely until her cheeks hurt, determined to ease his discomfort. "I-I'm s-sure I'll meet s-someone else. W-Who knows? T-The g-guy who would be s-sitting in front of me m-might be the o-one."

As the bus drove away from his sight, she let her tears fall, knowing that she had just told him the biggest lie of her life. She went home that night without even knowing if the person sitting in front of her was a guy or not.

Hinata sighed as her mind reeled back to the present. Taking a nail file from her shoulder bag, she scratched out her name on the desk. She loved him still but it was time to move on, now that she was engaged to a wealthy man she met only once. Of course, her father had arranged the engagement. Even so, she was determined to make her marriage successful. Besides, she had not heard from Naruto ever since her confession.

She sighed again as she stood up. Giving the room a parting look, she exited the classroom and bid her feelings goodbye.

A minute later, a tall blonde entered Room 4-B. Uzumaki Naruto had just finished visiting Room 4-D, his former classroom. His blue eyes roamed the room and fell on the desk where his estranged friend once sat. He walked up to it and read the scribbles on the desk with interest. He smiled as he read his name underneath an umbrella. It was, however, a little bit surprising, and perhaps, a little unnerving, to see her name – he knew it was hers – scratched out. He ran his fingers on it and discovered that it was freshly scratched.

"She had been here," the blonde murmured to himself. He debated for a moment on whether he should run outside and see if she was still in the school premises or leave her alone. He clenched and unclenched his hands; he wanted to see her.

He stared at the door and slowly sat on the desk beside hers and bowed his head, a dejected smile on his lips.

She had given up on him…

Outside, the sun was warm as it shone on the sakura trees.

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_**Meep.**_


End file.
